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Bags of style

Two functional fashion items have been launched in China recently, with a focus on family.

Zaina Smart Shoes, with an internal GPS system, are designed for senior citizens, while B-Watch, which looks like a bracelet, is created for pregnant women to monitor their physiology.

Zaina, which means "where" in Chinese, aptly describes the product, which is able to locate the wearer's position within 3 meters.

It is a brainchild of trendy fashion designers from the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology and geeky program writers from Xiamen-based high-tech company Kingtop. Both organizations started the project in mid-2012.

Xu Jingxian, vice-president of Kingtop, who noticed senior people getting lost, initiated the idea.

"They need a GPS product which is handy, and not easily left behind. So, we had this idea of inserting the GPS system into a pair of shoes. It will help their families and caretakers to pinpoint their location when they go missing," she says.

The chip in the shoes sends the specific locations of the wearers to their family members. It updates the maps automatically and also gives full protection of the person's privacy. Resembling a pair of running shoes, the shoes are comfortable, waterproof and pressure-resistant.